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United States

COVID-19: New Highly Contagious KP.3 'FLiRT' Variant Now Accounts For Majority Of US Cases COVID-19: New Highly Contagious KP.3 'FLiRT' Variant Now Accounts For Majority Of US Cases
Covid-19: New Highly Contagious KP.3 'FLiRT' Variant Now Accounts For Majority Of US Cases A new highly contagious COVID-19 variant known as KP.3 now accounts for most infections in the United States. Data from the  Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) shows that in a two-week period ending Saturday, June 8, the strain made up 25 percent of cases nationally, just ahead of the KP.2 variant (22.5 percent). Both KP.3 and KP.2 are offshoots of the highly contagious Omicron variant and are members of a newly identified group of variants known as  “FLiRT.”  COVID-19: New 'FLiRT' Variants Now Dominant In US Neither is expected to cause more serious symptom…
Updated List Of Scheduled Red Lobster Closures Includes Connecticut Location Updated List Of Scheduled Red Lobster Closures Includes Connecticut Location
Updated List Of Scheduled Red Lobster Closures Includes Connecticut Location Red Lobster plans to close more restaurants just weeks after it filed for bankruptcy, according to a new report. In a bankruptcy petition filed on Sunday, May 19, the company listed assets of $1 billion and liabilities of $10 billion. Days before the filing, dozens of Red Lobster locations were listed as "temporarily closed" on the company's website, including these New York locations: Kingston, Scarsdale, Nanuet, Poughkeepsie, Stony Brook In an updated list of closures reported by CNN on Thursday, June 6, five new locations in New York have been added to the list, including it…
Red Lobster Files For Bankruptcy After Abruptly Closing Dozens Of Restaurants Red Lobster Files For Bankruptcy After Abruptly Closing Dozens Of Restaurants
Red Lobster Files For Bankruptcy After Abruptly Closing Dozens Of Restaurants Red Lobster has filed for bankruptcy just days after closing dozens of its restaurants. In its bankruptcy petition filed on Sunday, May 19, the company listed assets of $1 billion and liabilities of $10 billion. The filing stated that the company "intends to use the proceedings to drive operational improvements, simplify the business through a reduction in locations, and pursue a sale of substantially all of its assets as a going concern." The company said restaurants not listed as "temporarily closed" on its website will remain "open and operating as usual during the Chapter 11 process."…
Travel Advisory For US Citizens Issued By State Department: Here's What To Know Travel Advisory For US Citizens Issued By State Department: Here's What To Know
Travel Advisory For US Citizens Issued By State Department: Here's What To Know The US State Department has just issued a worldwide travel advisory for Americans. The statement, issued Friday, May 17, warns of the “potential for terrorist attacks, demonstrations, or violent actions against US citizens and interests.” The department said it is advising US citizens overseas to exercise increased caution.  "The Department of State is aware of the increased potential for foreign terrorist organization-inspired violence against LGBTQI+ persons and events," the statement noted. The department said US citizens should: Stay alert in locations frequented by tourists, in…
How Sweet: Fairfield County Educator Named 'Teacher Of The Year' By Cookie Chain Crumbl How Sweet: Fairfield County Educator Named 'Teacher Of The Year' By Cookie Chain Crumbl
How Sweet: Fairfield County Educator Named 'Teacher Of The Year' By Cookie Chain Crumbl Forget the apple; this distinguished Connecticut teacher is getting a cookie party. Just in time for National Teacher Appreciation Day, cookie chain Crumbl announced the winners of its “Teacher of the Year” awards, given to educators “for their extraordinary commitment to their classrooms.” In Connecticut, the honor went to Fairfield County teacher Melinda Scott at Stadley Rough Elementary School in Danbury. Recipients were selected from a pool of over 6,000 nominations that included testimonials from parents, students, colleagues, and friends. They were chosen from each state, the Di…
Red Lobster Abruptly Closes Dozens Of Restaurants Red Lobster Abruptly Closes Dozens Of Restaurants
Red Lobster Abruptly Closes Dozens Of Restaurants Fast-casual seafood restaurant Red Lobster has abruptly closed dozens of its restaurants. The company is also considering filing for bankruptcy protection, according to a CNN report. On its website, Red Lobster lists many of its restaurants as being "temporarily closed," including these New York locations: Kingston, Scarsdale, Nanuet, Poughkeepsie, Stony Brook No closures are currently listed for Connecticut or Massachusetts restaurants. Founded in 1968, Red Lobster has around 600 restaurants in the United States, Canada, and overseas. According to another CNN report, Red Lobster's prob…
Rare Severe Geomagnetic Storm Watch Issued For First Time In Nearly 20 Years Rare Severe Geomagnetic Storm Watch Issued For First Time In Nearly 20 Years
Rare Severe Geomagnetic Storm Watch Issued For First Time In Nearly 20 Years You may soon get a view of a rare spectacle. According to the NOAA National Weather Service's Space Weather Prediction Center, a series of solar flares and coronal mass ejections (CMEs) began on Wednesday, May 8. CMEs are explosions of plasma and magnetic fields from the sun’s corona. Space weather forecasters have issued a Severe (G4) Geomagnetic Storm Watch for the evening of Friday, May 10. It's the first time a G4 Watch has been issued since January 2005. The watch says CMEs may linger into Sunday, May 12. Geomagnetic storms can also trigger spectacular displays of aurora (…
COVID-19: New 'FLiRT' Variants Now Most Dominant In US COVID-19: New 'FLiRT' Variants Now Most Dominant In US
Covid-19: New 'FLiRT' Variants Now Most Dominant In US New so-called "FLiRT" COVID-19 variants have quickly become the most dominant in the United States, and authorities are monitoring their rise as summer approaches. According to the latest data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), one of the two members of the  “FLiRT” group, KP.2, is now No. 1 among strains nationally, accounting for about 24.9 of all current infections. The JN.1 strain had been dominant in the US before the emergence of KP.2. Both variants are offshoots of the highly contagious Omicron strain. The No. 4 variant in the US, KP.1.1, which makes up …
Total Solar Eclipse: Here's What To Expect To See By Minute, Zip Code Total Solar Eclipse: Here's What To Expect To See By Minute, Zip Code
Total Solar Eclipse: Here's What To Expect To See By Minute, Zip Code What's being called the most visible eclipse for the United States in 100 years is just a day away, but you won't have to wait until Monday afternoon, April 8. Click here for a new, updated story - Total Solar Eclipse: Here's Brand-New Cloud Cover Forecast, Timing By Zip Code A total solar eclipse happens when the moon passes between the sun and the Earth, completely blocking the face of the sun. The sky will darken as if it were dawn or dusk. According to NASA, totality will start on Monday around 1:07 p.m. Eastern time in Mexico and leave Maine around 3:30 p.m. Eastern time. While mos…
Largest Egg Producer In US Halts Production After Bird Flu Found In Chickens Largest Egg Producer In US Halts Production After Bird Flu Found In Chickens
Largest Egg Producer In US Halts Production After Bird Flu Found In Chickens Production has been halted at the largest producer of fresh eggs in the United States after bird flu was discovered in chickens. Cal-Maine Foods reported that one of the company’s facilities located in Parmer County, Texas, tested positive for highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI), resulting in depopulation of approximately 1.6 million laying hens and 337,000 pullets, or approximately 3.6 percent of its total flock. "Production at the facility has temporarily ceased as the company follows the protocols prescribed by the USDA," Cal-Maine said in a statement, noting that it is working to s…
Solar Eclipse: Viewers Can Suffer Severe Eye Injuries Without Proper Protection, NASA Warns Solar Eclipse: Viewers Can Suffer Severe Eye Injuries Without Proper Protection, NASA Warns
Solar Eclipse: Viewers Can Suffer Severe Eye Injuries Without Proper Protection, NASA Warns With a total solar eclipse now just a week away, officials are warning that eye safety will be crucial for the approximately 44 million Americans who reside in the path of totality and the millions more expected to travel to the path. "Viewing any part of the bright Sun through a camera lens, binoculars, or a telescope without a special-purpose solar filter secured over the front of the optics will instantly cause severe eye injury," according to NASA. Known as the “Great North American Eclipse,” it will have a narrow path of totality from southwest to northeast across 13 states in the…
Shell To Close 1,000 Gas Stations: Here's Why, Company Says Shell To Close 1,000 Gas Stations: Here's Why, Company Says
Shell To Close 1,000 Gas Stations: Here's Why, Company Says One of the nation's major oil companies says it will close 1,000 gas stations. Shell made the announcement in its 2024 Energy Transition Strategy report, saying the measure is “in response to customer needs” and aimed at reallocating those resources towards EV charging stations. Shell said it will close 500 stations in 2024 and the other 500 in 2025. "We believe growth in oil demand is set to slow in the second half of this decade and could start falling in the 2030s because of increasing vehicle efficiency and growth in electric vehicles," the company stated in the report. "Toda…
Nation's First Utility-Scale Offshore Wind Farm, Assembled By CT Unioners, Spins To Life Nation's First Utility-Scale Offshore Wind Farm, Assembled By CT Unioners, Spins To Life
Nation's First Utility-Scale Offshore Wind Farm, Assembled By CT Unioners, Spins To Life If you’re reading this, there’s a possibility that the electricity to power your device came from the country’s first utility-scale offshore wind farm. New York Gov. Kathy Hochul announced the completion of the South Fork Wind project on Thursday, March 14, capping off more than two years of construction that began in February 2022. As of Thursday, all 12 of the project’s offshore wind turbines were up and running roughly 35 miles off the coast of Long Island, delivering power to Nassau and Suffolk counties and the Rockaways, the governor’s office said. Earlier Report: 'Momentous St…
'Most Visible Eclipse For US In 100 Years' Coming Soon: First Projected Cloud Cover Conditions 'Most Visible Eclipse For US In 100 Years' Coming Soon: First Projected Cloud Cover Conditions
'Most Visible Eclipse For US In 100 Years' Coming Soon: First Projected Cloud Cover Conditions In just over a month, what's being called the astronomy event of the decade will occur when a total solar eclipse will cross North America, passing over Mexico, the United States, and Canada. A total solar eclipse happens when the moon passes between the sun and earth, completely blocking the face of the sun and the sky will darken as if it were dawn or dusk. Many are planning road trips to places where the best viewing conditions are expected for what space.com says will be "the longest and most visible for the US in 100 years," with a four-minute totality duration beginning…
Pair Of Leading Restaurant Chains Could Combine, Report Says Pair Of Leading Restaurant Chains Could Combine, Report Says
Pair Of Leading Restaurant Chains Could Combine, Report Says Two of the nation's leading restaurant chains may soon combine, according to a brand-new report. Under the plan, IHOP and Applebee's would share dining space, the Nation's Restaurant News says., Both eateries are owned by California-based Dine Brands. The company has already launched eight prototype combined IHOP/Applebee's locations -- all in international markets outside the US, the report said. The prototypes feature “discrete entrances,” while inside guests can be seated in both spaces when necessary and possible, Dine Brands CEO John Peyton told the outlet. This would allow overflo…
These Places Will Be Best To View 'Most Visible Eclipse For US In 100 Years': Here's When These Places Will Be Best To View 'Most Visible Eclipse For US In 100 Years': Here's When
These Places Will Be Best To View 'Most Visible Eclipse For US In 100 Years': Here's When It won't be long now. In just over two months, what's being called the astronomy event of the decade will occur when a total solar eclipse will cross North America, passing over Mexico, the United States, and Canada. Mark your calendar now for Monday, April 8 with four-minute totality duration beginning at 3:13 p.m. Eastern time. A total solar eclipse happens when the moon passes between the sun and earth, completely blocking the face of the sun and the sky will darken as if it were dawn or dusk. According to space.com, it will be "the longest and most visible for the US in 100 years," w…
COVID-19: JN.1, Making Up 93 Percent Of US Cases, Likely More Contagious Than Other Variants COVID-19: JN.1, Making Up 93 Percent Of US Cases, Likely More Contagious Than Other Variants
Covid-19: JN.1, Making Up 93 Percent Of US Cases, Likely More Contagious Than Other Variants If you've had a case of COVID-19 recently, then it's overwhelmingly likely it came from a new highly contagious strain of the virus that has quickly become most dominant in the United States, and around the world. JN. 1, an off-shoot of the Omicron strain, now makes up 93 percent of COVID cases in the United States after accounting for less than 5 percent of infections nationally in early November, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports. JN.1 cases in the US have more than doubled over the last month.  "Its rapid spread suggests it is either more transmissi…
Quaker Oats Expands Recall Of Cereals, Bars, Snacks Due To Salmonella Threat: Here's Latest Quaker Oats Expands Recall Of Cereals, Bars, Snacks Due To Salmonella Threat: Here's Latest
Quaker Oats Expands Recall Of Cereals, Bars, Snacks Due To Salmonella Threat: Here's Latest The Quaker Oats Company has added a new product to a recall for some of its cereals, bars, and snacks because they have the potential to be contaminated with Salmonella. The products were sold in all 50 states plus Puerto Rico. The initial recall, announced in mid-December, was first expanded in early January to include additional products. The latest item was added to the recall list on Wednesday, Jan. 31 -- a granola bar with Best Before dates of Feb. 10 or Feb. 11, 2024 that was discontinued in September 2023. "Consumers should check their pantries and dispose of the product," Quaker O…
Supplements Sold Nationwide Being Recalled Due To Presence Of 'Gas Station Heroin' In Products Supplements Sold Nationwide Being Recalled Due To Presence Of 'Gas Station Heroin' In Products
Supplements Sold Nationwide Being Recalled Due To Presence Of 'Gas Station Heroin' In Products Federal Health officials are cautioning consumers to avoid certain products that may contain an ingredient known as "gas station heroin."  Neptune Resources LLC announced a voluntary recall of all lots of "Neptune's Fix Elixir," "Neptune's Fix Extra Strength Elixir," and Neptune's Fix Tablets due to the possible presence of tianeptine, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced. Tianeptine, which has been called "gas station heroin" by some, is not FDA-approved for any medical use, and its presence in the products prompted the nationwide recall. "The presence of tianepti…
COVID-19: Fast-Spreading JN.1 Variant Now Accounts For 86 Percent Of US Cases COVID-19: Fast-Spreading JN.1 Variant Now Accounts For 86 Percent Of US Cases
Covid-19: Fast-Spreading JN.1 Variant Now Accounts For 86 Percent Of US Cases There's a new dominant variant of COVID-19 in the United States, and it's way ahead of the rest of the pack. JN. 1, a highly contagious off-shoot of the Omicron strain, now makes up around 86 percent of COVID cases in the United States after accounting for less than 5 percent of infections nationally in early November, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports. It's also the most dominant across the globe. JN.1 cases in the US have doubled over the last month.  In late December, it caused 44 percent of cases in the US, after making up around 22 percent of inf…
Harvard Grad Student Becomes First Active Military Member Crowned Miss America Harvard Grad Student Becomes First Active Military Member Crowned Miss America
Harvard Grad Student Becomes First Active Military Member Crowned Miss America A graduate student at Harvard has made history as the first active duty member of the military to be crowned Miss America. Madison Marsh, who is working on her master's degree in public policy at the Harvard Kennedy School and currently a graduate intern with Harvard Medical School, was crowned on Sunday, Jan. 14. She is also the reigning Miss Colorado.  The 22-year-old graduated from the United States Air Force Academy with a degree in physics in 2023, according to her pageant bio. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Miss Ameri…
Quaker Expands Nationwide Recall For Cereals, Bars, Snacks Due To Salmonella Threat Quaker Expands Nationwide Recall For Cereals, Bars, Snacks Due To Salmonella Threat
Quaker Expands Nationwide Recall For Cereals, Bars, Snacks Due To Salmonella Threat The Quaker Oats Company has expanded a recall for some of its cereals, bars, and snacks because they have the potential to be contaminated with Salmonella it announced on Thursday, Jan. 11. The products were sold in all 50 states plus Puerto Rico. The view the full list of recalled products, including their best-by dates, check this link from Quaker Oats. Consumers should check their pantries for any of the products and dispose of them, the company said. Those who purchased any of the products can contact Quaker Consumer Relations from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Eastern time Monday through Friday …
BlandJet Recalling 4.8M Portable Blenders Nationwide For Fire, Laceration Hazards BlandJet Recalling 4.8M Portable Blenders Nationwide For Fire, Laceration Hazards
BlandJet Recalling 4.8M Portable Blenders Nationwide For Fire, Laceration Hazards Nearly five million portable blenders sold nationwide are being recalled due to fire and laceration risks. The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) announced that a total of around 4.8 million BlendJet 2 Portable Blenders that can overheat or catch fire. If the blender were to get too hot, the blender blades can break off, creating the hazard. The recall includes blenders sold in a variety of colors and designs, federal authorities noted Recalled items have the serial numbers printed on the bottom of the base along with “blendjet2” and “The Original Portable Blender.”  The…
COVID-19: Here Are Symptoms For New Strain That's Surged To Leading Cause Of US Infections COVID-19: Here Are Symptoms For New Strain That's Surged To Leading Cause Of US Infections
Covid-19: Here Are Symptoms For New Strain That's Surged To Leading Cause Of US Infections As a new COVID-19 subvariant has become the leading cause of infections in the US, details on reported symptoms have started to emerge. Click here for a new, updated story - COVID-19: Rapid Spread Of Highly Mutated JN.1 May Mean It's More Contagious Than Other JN.1, an offshoot of the highly transmissible Omicron variant and one of its subvariants, the BA.2.86 strain known as Pirola, now accounts for 44 percent of US cases, according to new data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released on Friday, Dec. 22. JN.1 has more than doubled its prevalence in on…
Quaker Issues Nationwide Recall For Some Granola Bars, Cereals Due To Salmonella Risk Quaker Issues Nationwide Recall For Some Granola Bars, Cereals Due To Salmonella Risk
Quaker Issues Nationwide Recall For Some Granola Bars, Cereals Due To Salmonella Risk The Quaker Oats Company is recalling some granola bars and granola cereals because they have the potential to be contaminated with Salmonella. The products were sold in all 50 states plus Puerto Rico, the company announced on Friday, Dec. 15. The view the full list of recalled products, including their best-by dates, check this link from Quaker Oats. Consumers should check their pantries for any of the products and dispose of them, the company said. Those who purchased any of the products can contact Quaker Consumer Relations from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Eastern time Monday through Friday at 1-…
Surge In COVID-19, Flu, RSV Hospitalizations Leads To Winter Virus Warning By CDC Surge In COVID-19, Flu, RSV Hospitalizations Leads To Winter Virus Warning By CDC
Surge In Covid-19, Flu, RSV Hospitalizations Leads To Winter Virus Warning By CDC The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is sounding the alarm, warning that low vaccination rates for COVID-19, influenza, and RSV (respiratory syncytial virus) could strain healthcare systems across the nation in the weeks ahead. Hospitalizations among all age groups in the last month increased by 200 percent for influenza, 51 percent for COVID, and 60 percent for RSV, the CDC said. Meanwhile, coverage for the seasonal 2023-2024 flu shot is low in all age groups compared with the same period of the 2022–2023 season. Just 17 percent of adults had received the updated COVID vac…
Biggest Food, Beverage Trends Revealed In 2023 Grubhub Delivered Report Biggest Food, Beverage Trends Revealed In 2023 Grubhub Delivered Report
Biggest Food, Beverage Trends Revealed In 2023 Grubhub Delivered Report An analysis of orders from diners across the US in 2023  by Grubhub has uncovered the biggest food and beverage trends of the year. Spoiler alert: Spice is nice. In 2023, over 53 million items were ordered with added spice, the report on deliveries says.  Classic favorites like Sriracha (a sauce made from chili peppers) were added over 91,000 times, and buffalo chicken wings came in first as the most ordered wing flavor followed by lemon pepper, BBQ, teriyaki and garlic parmesan. The report notes that in 2023 diners enjoyed stepping out of their comfort zones and break…
COVID-19: US Sees Surge In Hospitalizations, Deaths; Take These Steps, CDC Director Says COVID-19: US Sees Surge In Hospitalizations, Deaths; Take These Steps, CDC Director Says
Covid-19: US Sees Surge In Hospitalizations, Deaths; Take These Steps, CDC Director Says COVID-19 is on the rise just in time for the height of the holiday season. "COVID is starting to increase again after being stable for the last few weeks," Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Director Mandy Cohen said this week.  Nationwide, in the latest data for the week ending Saturday, Dec. 2, there was a 17.6 percent rise in COVID hospitalizations (a total of 22,513) and 25 percent increase in deaths. COVID accounted for three percent of deaths in America from Sunday, Nov. 26 to the end of last week. In addition, the test positivity rate went up around one percent. …
COVID-19: Cases Of Highly Mutated Pirola Strain Triple In 2 Weeks COVID-19: Cases Of Highly Mutated Pirola Strain Triple In 2 Weeks
Covid-19: Cases Of Highly Mutated Pirola Strain Triple In 2 Weeks Nationwide cases of the so-called COVID-19 Pirola subvariant have tripled in two weeks. The strain officially known as BA.2.86 has been particularly prominent in New York.  It now makes up 9 percent of COVID cases in the US, according to the latest data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). World Health Organization (WHO) authorities said they consider BA.2.86 to be part of the Omicron variant family, but that could change if the strain spreads more widely even though Pirola's 30 mutations are from the BA.2 lineage, which was the dominant Omicron strain …
COVID-19: Symptoms Now Number 11; Here's Latest Rundown From CDC COVID-19: Symptoms Now Number 11; Here's Latest Rundown From CDC
Covid-19: Symptoms Now Number 11; Here's Latest Rundown From CDC When COVID-19 cases first were identified in the United States in March 2020, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) listed just three symptoms for the novel coronavirus: Fever Cough Shortness of breath Now, nearly five years later, the virus remains an everyday part of American life, with about 1,000 deaths from the disease nationwide each week. As COVID has evolved, mainly from the highly contagious Omicron strain and several of its subvariants, the CDC's updated list of symptoms for the virus now numbers 11. They are: Fever or chills Cough Shortness of breath or difficu…
IDs Released For Couple Killed In Fiery Crash On Bridge Linking NY, Canada Caught On Video IDs Released For Couple Killed In Fiery Crash On Bridge Linking NY, Canada Caught On Video
IDs Released For Couple Killed In Fiery Crash On Bridge Linking NY, Canada Caught On Video The identities have now been released of a couple killed after crashing near a bridge connecting the United States and Canada on one of the year's busiest travel days. The Thanksgiving Eve incident happened early Wednesday afternoon, Nov. 22 on the Rainbow Bridge at Niagara Falls, New York. Niagara Falls Police say  Kurt Villani, and his wife, Monica Villani, both age 53, died in the vehicle explosion which led to a federal investigation. The two were residents of Grand Island, New York, located about 10 miles southeast of Niagara Falls. Authorities say the couple had originally been…